You know how it is, blue people are always a trap for pansexuals. Look at Mystique, Gonzo, and Sully. Blue women with grey hair though, that’s a pansexual’s kryptonite. The only thing “worse” is buff blue women with grey hair in summer dresses. I think we’d all melt like a saucepan of chocolate. It has been a weird season. There were four episodes that went nowhere in particular, followed by three great episodes, a fine precursor, and then this finale, which is once again brilliant. Each season thus far has been incrementally better or equally as good as the season before.

Obviously, I’m getting ahead of myself. We and the Cerritos are hanging back while the dizzy bint that spilled hot chocolate over the bald one nearly kills the Lapeerians. The only S Gomez anyone around here would know about, of course. Sent on a mission to support the Obena-class Archimedes in its first contact mission, the Cerritos watches as a solar flare knocks the ship into the path of the Lapeerian homeworld in the Laap system. The debris field between the Archimedes and planet would almost certainly knock the Cerritos to pieces if rescue is attempted.

You know, basic Starfleet stuff at this point. Written by showrunner Mike McMahan, the only McMa-something I still have a bit of trust in to lead a show creatively, “First First Contact” seems like it is another basic episode of drama and danger. I’m good with drama and danger, I like it. The thing here is that McMahan isn’t just writing for this episode, this little storyline, or this set of characters we’re referencing. He’s setting up for Chris Kula’s finale to the Pakled arc, and what a fantastic arc it has been!

In the season finale to a tepid second season, McMahan puts us right there on the bridge as problems have to be solved, people need to be saved, and first (first) impressions need to be maintained. All of this comes while a Varuvian bomb blows up the Pakled homeworld, Pakled Planet. I’ve said it time and time again, season 2 of Lower Decks is 6 good to great episodes with four almost dull episodes. This finale, where the crew has to evacuate non-essential personnel, rip the outer shell of the hull off, be guided not through a viewer and manually flown, shows the tensions in relationships and is still fun.

Oh yeah, and one way or another, Carol is leaving the Cerritos. I’m sure that won’t cause friction between her and Beckett. This is my problem with other shows, they’ll set something up and immediately jump to the point of contention between two characters. We’ve seen Beckett annoy Carol and Admiral Alonzo, we’ve had the build to show all three butting heads and the former two growing closer over time. I said it a lot at the start of these reviews back in December. After watching the later series of Doctor Who, the simple, logical storytelling is a lovely thing to see.

This says nothing of Boimler’s Captain Freeman Day poster, “a craft day for toddlers” as Samanthan points out, or as Beckett rightfully points out a day to mindlessly indoctrinate children into respecting authority. This is another thing I’ve said multiple times, it is character work up and down the board. Boimler’s too concerned with puckering up to kiss asteroid. Meanwhile, Samanthan is experiencing visual glitches because he’s backing up memories onto his implant’s memory. What memories? Every single one he has of Tendi.

I beg to all that is holy in this world, don’t do the typically American “will they, won’t they” trope. Just once I want an American show not to do that and see what happens. Maybe the show will be interesting and fun instead of Susan and Mike’s relationship in Desperate Housewives making me want to save the poor bloke from a psychopath. Do not get me started on Bones and Booth! (I’m calm) The fact this is just a friendship that is dear is what makes it so impactful, or at least more so than shouting “Yahtzee!” and flipping tables.

Tendi herself has a story because McMahan somehow finds time in the extended 27-ish minutes (plus credits = 29) to give us a bit of time with Carol’s story,  Sonya Gomez, some bridge crew, all of our main crew, and introduces the dolphin division. Turns out that Beluga Whales are dolphins so I get to keep my alliteration. Tangent aside, T’ana wants to pull Tendi aside after deleting her from the medical staff record. This leads to a misunderstanding and it turns out she’s getting a promotion and T’ana doesn’t know who Dax is (I will fight you, pussy cat!)

Fast-paced, wonderfully silly, and generally great fun with hints of emotion, Mike McMahan’s “First First Contact” does great work giving us character and story in bundles. We get Mariner finally getting into a relationship with Jennifer which is the reason I named-checked her in Ben Joseph’s “Cupid’s Errant Arrow.” We’re also onto the Les Buenamigo-Rutherford story, and Captain Freeman was arrested after her first contact mission and rescue for blowing up Pakled Planet.

Ultimately, “First First Contact” might be throwing a lot at the wall for being a finale, but it is done with deftness and care. Would it be nice if McMahan calmed down and we got a 45-50 minute episode? Yes, though I would argue the episode would lose a large amount of its energy making it so exciting. It is loaded with references to smirk at and plenty of potential to kick off season 3 with more aplomb than Season 2. Time being as it is, I’ve already written that review and know how well it goes.

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Star Trek: Lower Decks "First First Contact"

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Jennifer's "stupid little butt."
• The Dolphin division.
• Pakleds being Pakleds.
• Fast-paced, energetic, fun, and sometimes emotional.

Cons

• Could have been extened a little longer to let things breathe.